Applicator for vibratory massagers



May 2, 1939- 0. T. BUFFALOW 2,156,839

I APPLICATOR FOR VIBRATORY MASSAGER S I Filed NOV, 16, 1936 g F -\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\m INVENTOR Oscar T Buff'al ow BY WM A TTORNE Y Patented May 2, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

to Whitney, 733,784; Owens, 752,252; and Rybery,

2,002,586. These applicators, in their operation, must be applied to one spot on the body, then removed and placed on another spot, and so on. Those applicators create friction and grab and pull the skin, tend to bruise and irritate the flesh, grip the tissues and are both uncomfortable and slow in their operation. The use of any degree of pressure on the applicator is very disagreeable.

7 And while ball and socket applicators have been used in the prior art, it has never been recognized that such an applicator could be used in this type of combination to overcome the above objections.

In Cheney, 1,539,299 ball applicators 8 are mounted on a hand massager and are employed to transmit electricity to the body of the patient. There is no vibrating mechanism provided and the above problem does not arise. Again in Glennan 1,947,042 a hand massaging device is provided with a socketed ball applicator having openings therein for feeding cream to the body device. The applicator is applied to a hot solution, then applied to a patient. There is no vibrating mechanism and of course the above problems could not arise. a mechanically operated vibratory massaging machine with a socketed ball applicator but this applicator simply moves up and down, moving into and out of contact with the body of the patient. The ball is large and is made of hard rubber, is merely used to pound the flesh but has no vibratory movement across the skin of the body itself, so the above problems do not arise. Cheney 1,557,417 also shows the use of a socketed ball applicator, or a plurality of them designed to revolve against the body of the patient, that is, a spinning movement is imparted to the head carrying the applicators around in a circular path. There is no vibration either in a single plane or otherwise, so the question of pulling the skin is 55 not involved, for it is stated that applicators of of the patient from a reservoir in the body of the Hunt, 1,936,022 does show frustro-conical shape can as well be employed.

Applicant with a knowledge of all of the defects in and objections to the prior art has for an object of his invention the provision of a manipulating massaging mechanism including a vibrating arm having a socketed ball applicator secured adjacent to one end thereof but free to travel in all directions over the body of a patient and having a path of vibrating movement across the patients body only in a single plane, whereby congestion and inflammation may be rolled and manipulated out and circulation stimulated without gripping and pulling the flesh, and whereby rolling action is imparted to permit the appli cator to conform with and fit variation in contour of the body and treat every portion completely.

Applicant has as a still further object of his invention the provision of a manipulating and. vibrating mechanism with a vibrating arm, a pair of parallel resilient roller applicators pivoted to said arm adjacent its end, and a socketed ball free to move universally, mounted on said arm intermediate said resilient balls, whereby said rollers and socketed ball vibrates over the body in a single plane and in the plane of their pivots, permitting the central applicator to roll out congestion and stimulate circulation While the resilient balls manipulate and massage on each side thereof, and whereby the combination is entirely free to move in a plane over the patients body at right angles to the plane of vibration of said arm.

Applicant has as a still further object of his invention the provision of a combination applicator consisting of resilient balls of oblate spheroid shape pivoted to a vibrating arm with its pivots in the plane of vibration of said arm and a socketed metallic ball, or ball of other material free to move universally and secured to said vibrating arm intermediate said resilient balls but off-set or placed below the surface of the resilient balls in order that they may contact the body of the patient before the applicator and be slightly compressed when the socketed ball engages the body, whereby'to permit the rollers to effectively assist the socketed ball in massaging the desired portion.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of my invention will be particularly pointed out in the annexed claims.

.In the drawing Figure l is a side elevation of the manipulating massaging mechanism. Figure 2 is a front elevation of the vibratory manipulating massager employing my applicators. Figure 3 is a section of my improved applicators. Figure 4 is a section of the eccentric employed.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the motor for driving the vibratory arm is indicated at I, controlled by a switch 2, and moved to various positions by a handle or other appropriate means 3 through which passes conductors 4 for feeding the motor. From the front of the motor projects 'a plate 5 having a sleeve 6 integrally secured to the free end thereof and through which passes a pivot member 1 screw threadedly secured to a vibrating arm 8 and acting as its pivot of movement. The plate 5 is rigidly secured to the housing of the motor by bolts i6, and the lower free end of vibrating arm 8 is formed into a distorted ring shape designated by 22. Secured to shaft 23 of motor I is a collar i8 which moves therewith. Said collar having an off-set projection l9 upon which is mounted a two part roller 20 having a ball race separating such parts and flanges for maintaining the balls in position, and the outer roller is free to move in respect to the collar l8. The outer part of the roller seats in the distorted ring 22 and travels about the inner surface there- 'of.

On the other end of the vibrating arm 8 are mounted applicators. Forks l2, l2 and l2, l2 are mounted on each side of the free end and serve as standards for pivoting rubber applicators or applicators of other material having an outer surface of oblate spheroid shape. The balls are of sponge rubber or other suitable material and are mounted on hard rubber or other suitable material such as metal. Sleeves are designated l6 and the balls are designated 9;. 9. Bridging the arms l2, l2 are screw threaded pivot members I I, II with their enlarged ends counter sunk in one prong l2, shouldered and screw threaded into the other prong 12.

Intermediate the rollers 9. 9 is mounted a socketed ball, having a screw threaded shank I5 or other means of attachment seated in arm 8 and formed integrally with the upstanding seat or housing I! socketing the ball 13 upon the antifriction balls M.

In its operation switch 2 closes the circuit leading current to motor I through conductors 4 cansing it to rotate in the usual manner. Rotation of shaft 23 carries with it the collar 18 and lug or projection l9, causing such projection to take the path of a circle. This also causes the axis of roller 20 to follow this same path moving back and forth and causing the outer surface of roller 29 to ride over the inner surface of the distorted ring 22 and carrying pivoted arm 8 back and forth across the axis of shaft 23 imparting a manipulating and vibrating movement. The applicators on the end of the vibrating arm 8 are moved into contact with the body of the person with any desired degree of pressure. During the vibrations the ball i3 moves back and forth over the body and presses and rolls out congestion. while the rollers on each side due to their resiliency. absorb part of the movement of the arm and manipulate the tissues, but do not irritate the skin and produce no uncomfortable feeling. It is not necessary to remove the applicators from contact with the body each time new portions are treated but they are simply rolled. over the body and in continuous contact with it and under the same pressure, reducing the time and effort in performing the operation.

The rolling effect and the use of resilient applicators for movement in a plane opposite to that of vibration enables these applicators to conform to and work out every portion of the body just as though the applicator was altered to conform to changes in body contour. This permits a thorough and complete manipulating and massaging treatment and restores and stimulates circulation throughout the body.

When using this on the feet, the motor and applicators are held in upright position by the handle 3 just as shown in Figure 3. However, when applied to any part of the body it may be moved into any position by means of handle 3. And while a handle 3 is shown for this purpose it is recognized that a stationary support or mounting may be used when desired to mount the applicators in position and still be within the intendment of this invention.

Likewise it is recognized that in certain cases it may be desirable to employ the single socketed ball applicator and to remove the resilient rollers. This of course can readily be done by removing the pivots II, II. Or the socketed ball may be mounted on a vibrating arm without the forked-prongs l2, I2. This will eliminate the pulling and grabbing of the old stationary ball, and results in rolling out the congestion.

While anti-friction elements M are seated in the housing I 1, they may be removed and an antifriction material or a seat substituted when desired, and still be within the scope of this invention.

Again it may be desired to remove the central applicator I 3 and only use the rollers. This is especially true when used along the spine, also for general use over the chest, abdomen, neck, face and limbs.

The removal of the central applicator is accomplished by screwing stud l5 to removed posi tion. Furthermore the stud l5 may be employed to regulate the height of the applicator.

The use of the ball bearing eccentric has several important advantages. It minimizes friction and produces smoother manipulation, reduces objectionable noises and requires substantially less m0- tive power.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A combination of the character described comprising a vibratory arm, a socketed ball applicator on said arm, and rollers associated with said applicator for travel over the body, the axis of rotation of said rollers being in the plane of vibration of said arm for cooperation with said ball applicator in the massaging operation.

2. A combination of the character described comprising a vibratory arm, a socketed ball applicator on said arm, and rollers of resilient material rotatably mounted on said applicator the axis of said rollers being in the plane of vibration of said arm for travel over the body to cooperate with said ball in massaging said body.

3. A combination of the character described comprising an arm for vibration in a single plane, a seat secured to the free end of said arm, an applicator ball rotatably mounted in said seat for engagement with the body, and rollers rotatably mounted on said vibratory arm on each side of the applicator ball, the axis of rotation of said rollers being in the plane of vibration of said arm for cooperation with said applicator ball in the massaging operation.

4. A combination of the character described comprising an arm for vibration in a single plane, a seat secured to the free end of said arm, an applicator ball rotatably mounted in said seat for engagement with the body of an individual, antifriction elements interposed between said ball comprising a vibratory arm, a motor, a support secured to said motor, means for pivotally mounting said arm intermediate its ends upon said support, eccentric means joining one end of said arm to said motor for rocking it about its pivot in a single plane, a housing secured to the free end of said arm, an applicator rotatably mounted therein, and rollers secured to said arm and associated with said applicator, the axis of rotation of said rollers being in the plane of vibration ofsaid arm for cooperation with said ball applicator in the massaging operation.

6. A combination of the character described comprising a vibratory arm, a motor, a support secured to said motor, means for pivotally mounting said arm intermediate its ends upon said support, ball bearing eccentric means joining one end of said arm to said motor for rocking it about its pivot in a single plane, a housing secured to the free end of said arm, an applicator ball rotatably mounted therein, and rollers mounted on either side of said applicator and secured to said arm, the axis of rotation of said rollers being in the plane of vibration of said arm for cooperation with said ball applicator in the massaging operation.

'7. A combination of the character described comprising a vibratory arm, a motor, a support secured to said motor, means for pivotally mounting said arm intermediate its ends upon said support, ball bearing eccentric means joining one end of said arm to said motor for rocking it about its pivot in a single plane, a housing secured to the free end of said arm, an applicator ball rotatably mounted in said housing, and anti-friction elements interposed between the ball and the housing, and rollers mounted on said arm on either side of said applicator ball, the axis of rotation of said rollers being in the plane of vibration of said arm for cooperation with said ball applicator in the massaging operation.

8. A combination of the character described comprising an arm for vibration in a single plane, a ball applicator mounted for a universal movement on said arm, and rollers rotatably mounted on said arm, the axis of rotation of said rollers being in the plane of vibration of said arm, for

cooperation with said applicator to produce a massaging action.

OSCAR. T. BU'FFALOW. 

